Personal reflection #4 (Charoenrach S.)

I think the idea of students starting their own college is really interesting and cool sometimes at college I feel like a lot what I'm learning will be useless and kind of pointless but if I could decide what I want to learn and plan out my own classes like they did in the movie I might get a lot less random classes that I have to take. I also feel like the pressure to receive good grades and always be number 1 is too much on student not everybody can be number 1 and they're has to be a place for the middle people to be able to go. It was an interesting movie but I don't think i will work so well in real life.

CHAROENRACH. S

Members' Personal Reflection #1 (Athiprayoon W.)

As for me, I personally like the whole idea behind the movie. What struck me most while watching are the quotes from two scenes.The first one from the principal saying that 'children is never useless, they are just used less.' and the second one is the conversation between the dad and his worker in the junk shop. Both seem to have the same core idea, Faltu means useless, but the children will never be used less if we know their worth and fix it or made it to be ready to use. Here is the point where I found what the father has said very inspiring. Besides, I absolutely support the idea of building the school for alternative education that encourage the students to pursue their dream and learn what they are interested in. Studying only for exam can be useless in the future if we don't even know what we really are capable of doing. As a result, our potential is also used less because of the different purpose of education---one for exam and one for life. 

It's Faltu (Useless)!

Yes! What's useless for others...I know the true worth of those things

But we made it fit to use.. 

Technically speaking, this is the first Bollywood movie I have ever watched. The movie is a enjoyable adaptation version of the Hollywood movies that is instructive in some degree with the representation of some the Indian sociocultural context in the scene of the students are being punished is where the subject of parents and gratitude are being brought up. This is the lesson that we can find only in Asian movie. Despite the fact that music is the significant characteristic of Bollywood movies, it doesn't mean that it have to turn all music scenes into music video by using too many camera movement. And that is the part where I don't like about the film. Moreover, the selection of the music in movie are also closely related to what the movie are trying to say. In other words, music is a tool for story-telling which can be observed in the following video.  

                          

My favorite scene is from the scene where FALTU students decided to go for the competition. At this scene, I found myself learning a lot from the 4 minutes show by FALTU. It shows the message about problems in education system such as focusing on grade rather than true potential of the child and the selective process of higher education based on percentage. All of which can  cause the high amount of pressure on children that can be harmful to their future. This scene has presented the the idea of education that FALTU seems to promote which is the opportunity to find yourself and to know your potential so a to break free from the system. Education system create a world apart which made the concept of no child left behind became just an ideal that far reach, because of the process of selection by score that legitimate the admission opportunity. At this point, opportunity is what is lack. Therefore, what we need now is power and support from communities and government to fulfill what is lack. 

Education is suppose to be for all---for all who willing to learn.

Athiprayoon W.

 Credits: - Photos from Movie F.A.L.T.U
               - Video from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLSMxghIPFs

Relation to Course Materials

The movie opens with the four friends are walking to the examination room. The moment Vishnu recites how the students who got more than 90% study until the door opens, is a symbolic scene of how much students must study in order to pass their examination. This is similar to Frieire’s concept of Banking system in which currently dominating in most educational system all over the world. Nanj then wishes that the door never opened for fear of failure. It is his (Nanj) worst fear that he would fail the test and then result in his parents’ disappointment. This emotional vulnerability, as Carnoy and IDAC, put it is similar to how Akutsu sensei in the Queen Classroom (2005) installed in her students mind. The only difference in this is, no one directly installed the fear into Nanj’s heart. This implication of failure into the hearts of students also caused the personal reflex of being useless. When the result is revealed and Vishnu has scored only 94% which is 1% less than what he desperately wishes to get, fear crept to his hear that he would not be qualified enough for St. Peter and for his father’s standard. This qualification method by ranking students from top to bottom encourages a hierarchy in society instead of lessen it as school should do by providing equality for everyone. Similarly to caste system, by posting score on the board as happened in the movie and Ritesh and Nanj have to bend down to find their name is a symbolism of this system. Instead of being able to stand up with their head held high, they need to bend down and be at the bottom of the board.

As the movie introduces Mr. Baaji Rao by the scene of him, disregarding the curriculum, taught his students by watching movie instead of following the conventional curriculum bringing himself to the principle’s attention. By choosing teachable moment, Mr. Baaji Rao is a teacher who is very rare in this society where teachers tend to follow order and do what they are told instead of really teach their students when the moment comes. In a sense, Mr. Baaji Rao is similar to Kanamori Sensei.

F.A.L.T.U is an institution that comes into being from the power of union by all of the students. This university, instead of teaching conventional curriculum, it teaches transferable skills that would help students to gain skill for their future. The university has no official teacher, only videos from expert in each profession. Therefore, the knowledge is not colonized and there is no social structure appears in the university. 

Sartrapai S.

References: 

Carnoy, M. (1974). Education as cultural imperialism. New York: David Mccoy Company, Inc.

Freire, P. (1995). Pedagory of the oppressed. New York: Continuum International Publishing Group, Inc.

Futoshi, O., & Naoyuki, N. (Directors). (2005). The Queen's Classrom [Motion Picture].

IDAC Team. (1970). Danger school! Geneva: Other India Press.

Kaetsu, N. (Director). (2003). Children full of life [Motion Picture].

Cinematography

Section 1: Movement 

In the making of one film, there are many types of camera movement that we can consider while watching these moving image. Since the word 'cinematography' ,according to Lacey(2009), means 'recording movement', this is one of the most important part in the making of each scene in cinema and television. 

     1.1) Crane shot 

High School Scene

FALTU College 

     The use of 'crane shot' is how the filmmaker shoots the scene by moving the camera above the air in order to create the sense of mobility in the scene and to give the audience the feeling of ubiquity. There are several use of crane shot and establishing shots in this movie to introduce the beginning of the new scene that are significant to the movie plot.This is how these two kinds of camera movement introduce the audience to the location where the main characters are present. For example, in the beginning of the movie, the use of these two shots guide us to the high school's classroom where the final examination has taken place. The second one is in the scene at the opening day of FALTU college where all the accepted students arrive.  

   

     

     1.2) Pan 

                            

                                

This is the camera movement that produces a mobile framing by moving the camera horizontally with a speed. This technique has been used in many scenes especially when the characters start singing and dancing. The Pan will move quickly through 360 degrees of a circle and cause the blurring in the scene which can be called as a 'whip pan'.

Athiprayoon W.                                                                              

Section 2: Quality

Shallow focus

In FALTU, the Shallow focus is used in the video scene where people are mounting the support for  FALTU college during its critical  period of being claimed as a fake college. The use of shallow focus in this scene gives the viewers feeling of documentary video. The shot will keep the sharp focus on one particular object or element in a scene by using 'close-up' shot which provide much attention to an individual's actions or thoughts.   

Section 3: Digital Technique 

Split Scene 

We found many uses of 'split scene' technique in FALTU's music video scenes. This is a technique that has been popularize among film and video production to show many simultaneously actions on the same scene by allowing one or more actors to appear twice at the same time.  

                                                                                       

                                                                                        Surathumrong S.

Section 4: Lighting 

4.1) High Key lighting

The High-Key lighting produce a very bright images with very few shadow on the subject. The bright light technique is popular among musical or comedy movies so as to give the entertaining atmosphere to the scene.    

4.2) Low Key lighting

The Low-Key lighting is often use a strong shadow to obscure some part of the figure in order to create a suspicious look to the scene or the character. For example, this scene, the use of Low key lighting has given the image of the primary school principal as an intimidating figure. 

Sartrapai S.

Reference: Lacey,N.(2009). Image and representation key concepts in media studies. China:Palgrave macmillan. 

Casts and Charaters

Characters in F.A.L.T.U movie

1. Arshad Warsi: Here comes the guy with FROG eyes. Arshad Warsi is acting as Mr. Google Chand aka Mr. Fix IT who is having solution for all individuals as well as for group.

2. Chandan Roy Sanyal: A dweeb to the nub. Chandan Roya Sanyal aka Vishnu’s life rotate his bunch of friends even if they are totally opposite to him in terms of thinking and lifestyle. 

3. Jackky Bhagnani: This character is the most funniest in FALTU movie. Jackky Bhagnani (Ritesh) is very straight forward guy who lives for today and not for tomorrow. Ritesh motto is to enjoy and laugh at others foolish activities.

4. Riteish Deshmukh: Riteish Deshmukh is acting as a “Baaji Rao” who always look for good friend circle who accepts, applaud and appreciate him. Baaji Rao is having too much creativity which is misunderstood by his friends but thats a sad part.

5. Pooja Gupta: Pooja Gupta (pooja) is a hoyden who lives with her three male buddies and love to listen music 24/7. Pooja’s father want her to get married as soon as possible but she doesn’t want to spoil her life as she is not a marriage material woman.

6. Angad Bedi: Nanj (Angad Bedi), he is a big dumbo guy but sweet and soft from heart who doesn’t like to keep any bitter feelings for anybody even if the person is bad.  

Producer: Vashu Bhagnani.

Casting: Jackky Bhagnani – Ritesh,

 Pooja Gupta – Pooja

 Akshay Kumar – Cameo, 

Riteish Deshmukh – Baaji Rao, 

R Madhavan – Cameo, 

Angad Bedi – Nanj, 

Chandan Roy Sanyal – Vishnu, 

Amitabh Bachchan – Cameo,

 Abhishek Bachchan – Cameo, 

Kareena Kapoor – Cameo, Salman Khan – Cameo, 

Sushmita Sen – Cameo, 

Mallika Sherawat – Cameo, 

Akbar Khan – Cameo,

 Arshad Warsi – Google Chand 

 Saahil Khan.

Retrieved from: 

1.http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1667076/

2.http://popcorn.oneindia.in/movie-cast/8975/faltu.html

Remo D'Souza, the Director of F.A.L.T.U

F.A.L.T.U'

Director of F.A.L.T.U 

Remo D'Souza (born Ramesh Gopi on 2 April 1974) is an Indian dancer, choreographer, actor and film director. Although he is mainly involved in choreography, he has also contributed to other Indian film industries, mainly Bengali cinema. Under his mentor-ship Mohammad Salman Khan won the first season of Dance India Dance. His contestant Punit Pathak came third in the second season.

He is one of the judges in the reality dance show Dance India Dance since 2008.

He was also seen as judge in the show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa in 2010 along with Indian actresses Madhuri Dixit and Malaika Arora Khan .

He is currently working to make India's first 3D Dance Movie with D.I.D (season 1 & 2) contestans,namely- Dharmesh Yelande,Salman Khan,Bhavna,Princeetc. andPrabhu Deva and So You Think You Can Dance dancing sensation Lauren Gottlieb- titled ABCD - AnyBody Can Dance, the title of which was provided by Terrence Lewis 

Retrieve from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remo_D'Souza

Theme and Issues in F.A.L.T.U

Continue from the previous post, here I would like to consider the most important point we have been missing. The Theme of the movie!!

 As we can see from the story synopsis, the main theme of this film is about youth, education and acceptance. For education and acceptace, it's also about how people define these two terms. The process of entrance examination in general that base on accounatability of the test score percentage is no different from the previous years of primary and secondary schooling by shifting from pass or fail to acceptance and rejection. Are these the only two ways of judgement that defines potential and abilities of students?  In addition to that, this is all about social value of how people in societies nowadays generally value people on their level of education, diploma, name and reputation of the school. This is the film about the joy of youth, about being young and bold, challenging the norms and conventions, orthodox and unorthodox, breaking the rules and life full of freedom.

Moreover, some of you may have noticed that the movie plot somewhat similar to an American comedy movie 'ACCEPTED' which theaterically released in 2006 directed by Steve Pink and starring by famous ; Justin Long, Jonah Hill, and Blake Lively.

Certainly, yes! F.A.L.T.U is the adaptation of the Hollywood production of 'ACCEPTED' movie!

 

Let's get back to the point. If education is really about opportunities, F.A.L.T.U and ACCEPTED can be the great examples. Somehow the films also points out the fact about what higher education these days has been missing which is an equal opportunity. Although similar to F.A.L.T.U many university across the globe, those with big name and newly emerged, are now providing the course online, but the problem is that those with greater reputation still carry out the admission and screening process based on the the same convention and standard as the normal admission. Therefore, it is difficult argue that our educational system is fair, equal and all about children opportunities.

All in all, this conclusion raises the question on my mind that

'Is education really for all?'       

By Athiprayoon W.